TRAIN ticket prices have gone up across Merseyside – but at a lower rate than the national average.

The average rise in the price of a Merseyrail ticket is 3.8 per cent, compared to some train companies hiking fares up by nearly 15 per cent. The new fares came into force on Wednesday.

However, Saveaway tickets, which give passengers unlimited off-peak travel on rail bus and ferry within the region have increased from £2.40 to £3.20 in central zones – a rise of 33 per cent.

A typical example of a ticket rise in the region is a return journey from Southport to Liverpool – which will now cost £5.15, compared to £5 last year.

The national average rise for saver and standard returns and season tickets is 4.8 per cent.

A Merseyrail spokesman said: “Our contract runs until 2028 and fares will only go up with inflation as part of that.

“In real terms, prices are staying the same, which is very unusual.

“In other areas of the country, fares have gone up a lot more, so customers are getting real value for money.

“The Saveaway tickets are run by Merseytravel and the evening restriction has been lifted to offer passengers more flexibility.”

Fares on Virgin trains from Liverpool to London have risen by up to 11 per cent, with an open single rising from £95.50 to £107.50 and a saver return ticket rising from £57.20 to £62.60.

Across Britain, rail passengers have been told to expect above-inflation fare increases until the middle of the next decade under government plans to slash state subsidy of the railways. By 2014 passengers will pay £9bn a year towards the railways, up from £5bn, while government subsidy will fall from an average of £4.5bn a year to £3bn.

Nationally, there has been anger from consumer groups at the rises.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of rail consumer watchdog Passenger Focus, said: “Steep rises in individual routes are masked by the average figures published by the industry. These unfair rises will rankle.”

He said train operators which missed targets for the standard of their services should freeze their fares.